What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 09:00 - 18:00 Wednesday 09:00 - 18:00 Thursday 09:00 - 18:00 Friday 09:00 - 18:00 Saturday 09:00 - 17:00

https://www.facebook.com/124399787683656/

Complementary & Alternative Health, Ronwill Street 758 Ramsgate, Ramsgate (2025)

27/11/2025

Painkillers vs Manual Therapy. Which one addresses the root cause? 🤔

UNDERSTANDING PAINKILLERS: Painkillers provide temporarily relief by blocking pain signals or reducing inflammation. They help manage acute symptoms but don't correct the bio-mechanical or neuro-muscular imbalances that often cause recurring pain or dysfunction.

NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS OF PAINKILLERS:
When taking painkillers, it does two things. First, it depresses the central nervous system, making it more difficult for pain signals to reach the brain. Second, it attaches to op**te receptors to block pain signals coming from the body. Long term effects of painkillers trick the brain into thinking it needs the painkiller in order to feel good, which decreases the body's ability to produce "feel good" chemicals and endorphins on its own.

It also takes a heavy toll on the nervous system eg slower breathing, slowed body mechanics ect.

PAIN RELIEF vs FUNCTIONAL RESTORATION:
Painkillers manage discomfort but rarely improve function. Manual therapy promotes tissue healing, restores normal movement and re-educates muscles to work effeciently, ensuring long-term pain reduction and better body mechanics.

Sports therapy integrates manual therapy with corrective excercises to restore strength, balance and neuro-muscular control. It treats the source of pain, not just it's expression.

KEY TAKEAWAY:
Painkillers relieve, manual therapy resolves. Pain relief is important but true recovery comes from identifying and correcting the cause.

Treatment available, contact me for more info 👍😉

26/11/2025

Ice or Heat? Which one to use with which injury 🤔

Ice or Heat? Choosing the right therapy can speed up your recovery after training or injury. Ice helps calm inflammation and numb sharp pain, while heat relaxes tight muscles and improves circulation. Knowing when to use each can make all the difference in your healing.

UNDERSTANDING ICE THERAPY:
Ice therapy reduces inflammation, swelling and acute pain by constricting blood vessels and numbing tissues. It's most effective immediately after an injury or intense training session to control tissue damage and minimize inflammation.

WHEN DO YOU USE ICE?
Use ice during the first 24-48 hours after an injury, especially when swelling or redness appears. Ideal for sprains, strains or bruising where tissue inflammation and acute pain are primary symptoms.

UNDERSTANDING HEAT THERAPY: Heat therapy increases blood flow, flexibility and muscle relaxation. It's best for chronic pain, stiffness or tight muscles. Helping the body loosen soft tissue and prepare for movement or stretching.

WHEN DO YOU USE HEAT?
Apply heat after the inflammatory stage has passed, typically after two days or for ongoing stiffness. Perfect for tight muscles, chronic joint pain or before rehabilitation excercises.

COMMON MISTAKES:
Many people apply heat too early on a fresh injury, which can worsen swelling and inflammation. Always assess the stage of recovery before determining treatment timing, as this will help decide whether or not you're promoting or delaying healing. Never put ice on the back, always apply heat.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Use ice for acute pain and swelling and heat for stiffness or chronic tension. Both have powerful roles, the key is applying the right one at the right time for optimal recovery.

25/11/2025

Fascial Adhesions after injury or surgery. Important insights you need to know 🤔

WHAT IS FASCIA?
Fascia is a type of connective tissue that supports, protects and holds every organ, muscle, bone and nerve fiber in place. It's a web-like structure that provides support and enables movement, with a healthy state being flexible and wavy. When fascia is healthy it's pliable and stretchy, but it can become tight, restricted and painful if injured, leading a loss of flexibility.

WHAT ARE FASCIAL ADHESIONS? Adhesions occur when usually smooth fascial layers become thickened, sticky or fibrotic. This reduces mobility between tissues, creating tension and alter-biomechanics. Without proper treatment, adhesions can disrupt circulation, nerve function and muscle efficiency. Fascial Adhesions can quietly limit mobility and cause ongoing discomfort after injury or surgery. Understanding how it forms, is the first step towards healing.

WHY DO ADHESIONS FORM?
After injury or surgery, inflammation triggers the over-production of collagen. As healing occurs, these fibers may lay down irregularly, causing tissues to bond. Prolonged immobilisation and scar formation further increase the likelihood of fascial restrictions developing.

COMMON SYMPTOMS:
Fascial adhesions may present as tightness, pulling sensation, reduced range of motion, sharp pain during stretching or local tenderness. Many patients also experience weakness, movement asymmetry or discomfort that persists long after the initial healing period.

HOW DO ADHESIONS AFFECT MOVEMENT?
Adhesions restrict tissue glide, forcing compensatory motion in nearby joints and muscles. This altered bio-mechanics increases stress on surrounding structures, reduced performance capacity and can contribute to recurrent injuries or chronic pain syndromes.

TREATMENT:
Fascial adhesions requires active, targeted therapy. Treatment includes myofascial release, instrumental assisted therapy, cupping, stretching, neuro-muscular and progressive loading. These techniques break down restrictions, improve tissue glide and restore functional capacity, essential for returning to pain-free movement.

Treatment available, contact me for more info 😉👍

20/11/2025

What does the Rotator Cuff do? Let's find out 🤔

Your rotator cuff keeps the shoulder and upper arm stable when you move and use the arm. The muscles and tendons in the rotator cuff surrounds the shoulder joint and hold the bones together.

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. The ball-shaped upper end of the humerus (head), fits into a socket in the scapula. The rotator cuff is made of four shoulder muscles. Let's explain each one.

The Supra-Spinatus let's you rotate and lift the arm. It stretches from the top of the scapula to the upper end of the humerus. The Sub-Scapularis let's you hold the arm outstretched, away from the body.

It attaches to the middle of the scapula and stretches to the lower part of the humeral head. The Infra-Spinatus helps rotate the arm. It reaches from the bottom of the scapula and connects to the humerus behind the supra-spinatus.

The Teres-Minor helps turn and rotate the arm. It attaches to the outside edge of the scapula and attaches to the humerus beneath the infra-spinatus.

Tendons connect the muscles in the rotator cuff to the bones around them. Tendons are like levers that move the bones as the muscles contract and expand. When contracting the muscles in the rotator cuff, tendons pull the attached bones to move the shoulder and upper arm.

ROTATOR CUFF INJURIES:
Rotator cuff injuries are common because you use them so often for so many activities throughout the day. Injuries can happen suddenly or build up over time. Rotator cuff damage is a common sports injury.

The most common rotator cuff injuries include overuse syndrome, shoulder impingement syndrome (rotator cuff tendinitis), rotator cuff tears, shoulder sprains and swimmer's shoulder.

ROTATOR CUFF TEAR SIGNS:
Rotator cuff tears cause shoulder pain. You may feel a dull ache deep within the shoulder or the pain may feel sharp and stabbing. Sudden tears from trauma causes immediate, intense shoulder pain and arm weakness.

Treatment available, contact me for more info 👍😉

19/11/2025

Why Neck Pain and Migraine go hand in hand 🤔

A new study offers a better understanding of neck pain associated with migraine, distinguishing it from cervicogenic headaches and other neck issues. To better understand this research, it's helpful to know more about a type of headache that involves neck and head pain called cervicogenic headache.

This type starts in the cervical spine (neck region). This means head pain arises from issues in the structures of the neck, including the bone, disk and nerves. These 3 areas cause the pain that goes from the neck to the head.

Cervicogenic headaches causes pain that affects one side of the head. Occipital neuralgia which causes pain due to irritation of the occipital nerve, may also cause one-sided head pain, sometimes these conditions occur together.

The occipital nerve is located in the back of the head and is connected to the cervical spine. The greater occipital nerve runs up the back of the head and the lesser occipital nerve runs towards the ear.

Cervogenic headaches often involves a reduced range of motion in the neck. As a result, the headache is made a lot worse through certain movements. New research looks into the relationship between migraine and neck pain.

The study found that migraine of this nature does not necessarily indicate that a person has issues with their neck muscles, tendons ligaments, connective tissue or bones (cervical musculo-skeletal dysfunction).

Although movement of the neck can be painful, the cause is more likely closer to the nerve area.

OUTCOME OF THE STUDY:
The outcome of these research studies have found that by performing individual preventive or acute treatments, migraine attacks as well as neck pain can be reduced. It's important for patients to have a personalized assessment to determine whether there are anatomical causes of their neck pain.

Treatment available, contact me for more info 👍😉

18/11/2025

What is Snapping Hip Syndrome (coxa syltans)? 🤔

Snapping Hip Syndrome is characterized by an audible and sometimes visible "snapping" or "cracking" sensation of the hip that generally occurs when the leg is moved in a certain way. There are two types of hip snapping.

External Snapping - this happens when you hear or feel the snap on the outside of the hip. Internal Snapping - this type is when the sound or feeling comes from inside the hip, near the groin, called iliopsoas coxa saltans.

CAUSES:
Tight muscles or tendons around the hip are the most common cause. It's often an overuse injury. Training for a sport puts a lot of pressure on the hips. Over time, the extra stress can irritate muscles and tendons. This can lead to inflammation that makes the tissue tighten up.

Other causes include natural variation in the hip joint, injuries, a complication from other treatments, cartilage issues or natural tight or short muscles and tendons.

SYMPTOMS:
Although snapping hip is usually painless and harmless, the sensation can be annoying. In some cases, snapping hip leads to bursitis, a painful swelling of the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the hip joint. Symptoms usually shown a gradual onset of snapping or pain located laterally over the greater trochanter.

Deep painful sensation coming from within the anterior groin as the hip is moved from flexion into extension or external rotation.

TREATMENT:
Treatment starts with thorough assessment to identify the specific issue, following by manual soft tissue techniques to release tight muscles and tendons. Next stage focuses on specific stretching and strengthening excercises for the hips and glutes and concludes with functional training.

Treatment available, contact me for more info 👍😉

12/11/2025

What is Jumper's Knee? 🤔

Jumper's Knee, also known as patellar tendonitis, is a condition characterized by inflammation of the patellar tendon. This connects the kneecap (patella) to the shin bone (tibia).

Jumper's Knee weakens the tendon, and if left untreated, can lead to tears in the tendon. Jumper's Knee is often a sports-related injury caused by overuse of the knee joint.

CAUSES:
Jumper's Knee is caused by overuse of the knee joint linked to leg muscle contraction and the force of hitting the ground. This strains the tendon and tendon may become inflamed.

Activities like frequent jumping on hard surfaces and sudden changes in direction. Common in athletes who participate in sports like rugby, netball, volleyball and football. It can also appear in people who are not athletes.

SYMPTOMS:
Symptoms include pain and soreness around the patellar tendon. Pain with jumping, running or walking. Pain when bending or straightening the leg. Tenderness behind the lower part of the kneecap. Swelling and stiffness in the knee joint.

TREATMENT:
Treatment for includes eccentric strengthening, stretching, manual therapy and manipulation. The primary goal is to strengthen the patellar tendon and surrounding muscles, while improving flexibility and correcting faulty movement patterns.

Treatment available, contact me for more info 👍😉

11/11/2025

Cervical Neck Strain vs Herniated Disk. What is the difference? 🤔

Neck pain often appears after vehicle accidents or sudden movements that cause the cervical spine to whip back and forth (whiplash).

Such injuries can range from mild muscle strain to nerve root compression caused by a herniated cervical disk. Let's explain the two conditions cervical neck strain and herniated disc injuries.

CERVICAL NECK STRAIN (Whiplash): A sudden force may overstretch the neck muscles and ligaments, leading to pain, radiating to the shoulder or medial border of the scapula. This pain is usually muscular for example stiffness, tenderness and limited motion are common, but numbness or weakness in the arm is rare.

HERNIATED CERVICAL DISK:
Between each cervical vertebrae lies an intervertebral disk with a tough outer ring (annulus fibrous) and a gel-like center (nucleus pulposus) when the inner material pushes through, it may compress a nearby nerve root, causing sharp pain radiating down the arm, numbness, tingling in the fingers. Pain often worsens with coughing or straining.

MOST COMMON LEVELS:
Herniations occur most often at C5-C6 and C6-C7, affecting the C6 and C7 nerve roots. C5-C6, pain into the thumb, weakness in the wrist extension. C6-C7, pain towards the middle finger, weakness in triceps extension.

WHY IT HAPPENS?
Disks tend to herniate posteriorly because the anterior longitudinal ligament is strong, while the posterior ligament is thinner and weaker, allowing pressure to escape backwards towards the nerve roots.

TREATMENT AND RECOVERY:
Most cases improve with rest, physiotherapy, posture correction and anti-inflammatory treatment.

Cervical sprains affects muscles and ligaments, while a disk herniation involves nerve root compression.
Accurate diagnosis and tailored care are key factors in recovery.

Treatment available, contact me for more info 👍😉

10/11/2025

Bursitis - When cushioning turns into inflammation 🤔

When the bursae becomes inflamed, joint movement can become painful and restricted. Bursitis is a painful condition that affects the small, fluid-filled sacs, called bursae, that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near the joints.

Bursitis occurs when bursae becomes inflamed. The most common location for bursitis is the shoulder, elbow and hip. But it can also occur in the knee, heel and the base of the big toe. Bursitis often occurs near joints that perform frequent repetitive motion.

CAUSES:
Repetitive motions like throwing a ball or lifting heavy boxes, commonly cause bursitis. Spending time in positions that put pressure on a specific part of the body (such as kneeling) can also be a cause. Poor posture or a poorly positioned joint or bone (due to different leg lengths, bone spurs or arthritis in a joint is a known cause.

Bursitis can occur more than once in the same area. Repeated flare-ups may damage the bursae and reduce mobility in that joint.

SYMPTOMS:
The most common symptoms of bursitis is pain, especially when moving the affected part of the body. A limited range of motion (how far the body part can move/stretch).

If you have an inflammation thats causing bursitis, you might have other symptoms as well. Swelling, discoloration or redness on the skin. A feeling of warmth or heat, fever and/or chills.

TREATMENT:
The longer you put pressure or additional stress on an injured bursae, the longer it will take to recover. It also increases the risk of chronic bursitis. Treatment include rehabilitation which focus on joint mechanics and muscle balance.

Treatment available, contact me for more info 👍😉

07/11/2025

Some facts to keep in mind 🤔

Having constant ear infection? The cause may be closer to the TMJ. Before treating the ear, evaluate the TMJ 😉

Reminder that your neck can affect your autonomic nervous system. If you suffered any trauma, it could be why your migraine, POTS, or dizziness isn't getting better 😉

Check your nose if you struggle with headaches, POTS, dysautonomia or dizziness. The nose often gets overlooked but could change your life if properly evaluated 😉

A migraine is not "just a headache", it involves your entire nervous system 😉

When your nose is restricted, you don't have a focus or brain fog problem, you have an oxygen problem 😉

ADHD isn't always about focus, sometimes it's about inflammation in the gut from what you eat every single day, blood sugar swings and poor sleep 😉

If you're always tired, can't focus and anxious, you might not have ADHD or depression issues, you might just not have enough oxygen because of a restriction in the nose 😉

Just a reminder that 1 in 4 children diagnosed with ADHD, may only need proper sleep and airway treatment to restore oxygen flow and not lifelong stimulants 😉

Chronic ear infection in babies and children often come back to nasal and airways issues 😉👍

06/11/2025

What to do when a baby, child or adult is chocking on a object and it gets stuck in the wind pipe (trachea) 🤔🚨

First, bend the child forward and ask the child to cough with force. Second, hard slaps on the child's back until object exits. If it's a baby less than one year old, then hold the baby in the hand, tilting downwards and press the chest.

In case of an older child, older than one year of age, first ask the child to cough with force, then slap on the child's back until object exits. If the object is still stuck, stand behind the child, grasp them by both hands around the abdomen (stomach). Then exert pressure from below in the form of thrusts. This compresses the lungs and exerts pressure on the object, hopefully expelling it.

What to do when nobody is around and you choke on an object. If there is no one around, then press your abdomen by yourself to generate a forceful cough. You can also fall with the front of your body over a chair while coughing.

In the case of a pregnant woman choking, use your hands above her abdomen and below her chest and exert pressure. Never on the stomach itself.

If nothing works, and object is still stuck, immediately place them on the floor and press the chest with force, so as to compress the lungs, which may forcefully expel the object.

In the meantime, make sure to call emergency services for assistance. Share this knowledge to help others to save a life 👍😉

Complementary & Alternative Health

27/11/2025

26/11/2025

25/11/2025

20/11/2025

19/11/2025

18/11/2025

12/11/2025

11/11/2025

10/11/2025

07/11/2025

06/11/2025

Address

Opening Hours

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Tuesday	09:00 - 18:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 18:00
Thursday	09:00 - 18:00
Friday	09:00 - 18:00
Saturday	09:00 - 17:00